Over €36k allocated for society’s posters and refreshments

DCU’s Society Life Committee (SLC) has this year allocated more than €250,000 to various DCU societies, with a total of €36,537.66 going towards refreshments and posters alone, The College View has learned.

Figures obtained by this newspaper reveal that the allocated spend is higher than the supposed €220,000 SLC budget at the start of this year and up almost €16,000 on last year’s figure.

DCU’s Karting Society is the biggest recipient of the SLC grant, with €21,778.75 set aside while the Snowsports Society is the second largest benefactor, having €16,626.20 at their disposal.

Food Soc has been allocated the lowest amount, with €652 going towards their society for the year.

Allocations are made by the SLC after societies each submit a grant application to seek funds for items such as events, equipment and promotion. The SLC Funding Policy states that €1 will be provided per person for refreshments at an event, up to a maximum of €100, while €7 is given to each event for posters and promotion. The €36,537.66 designated to refreshments and posters represents 14.5 per cent of the entire budget this year.

One significant omission from the 2014/15 allocations is the Accounting and Finance society (A&F).

Organisers of DCU’s Mystery Bus Tour, European Mystery Tour and the university’s biggest inter-society ball, A&F is the second-largest society in the college, with over 1,500 members. Due to a five-figure sponsorship deal struck this summer with professional services giants, Ernst and Young (EY), the society chose not to submit a grant application as extra funds were not necessary in the running of their events.

However, The College View understands that this sponsorship deal with EY has fallen through, leaving the society without funds. Luke Ó Riordan, chairperson of A&F, revealed that the grant application deadline had passed before their funding had been removed.

“Funnily enough, the day after the grant app came out for everyone else, we realised ‘yeah, we should’ve done it’ but at the same time we thought we have these funds coming in, there is no need for us to take money off other societies that probably need it a lot more than us because we thought we had guaranteed figures coming in” said Ó Riordan.

A&F has been quick to recover from this blow, however, as a sponsorship deal with Bank of Ireland has been struck almost immediately to provide finance for next semester’s events while discussions are ongoing with SLC to arrange a belated grant allocation, as the chairperson acknowledged.

“I’ve met with Siobhan, the head of finances (of DCU Clubs and Societies), she has given us a window to do a new grant app because of the circumstances we were put in. I don’t think any other society has been put in that situation before”.

“It is unfortunate the way it has come to an end with them (EY), but, at the same time, we are now with a better company, Bank of Ireland.”

For a full breakdown of allocations check out our website, thecollegeview.com.